LITTLE SOLUTION AGAINST THE MOST BACKWARDNESS PEOPLE of EAST NUSA TENGGARA (NTT)

By Gregorius Mosed Karhindra, ST

Continuing from my previous article ' SCHOLARSHIP AND THE FAIRY TALE of ADVANCEMENT of PEOPLE of EAST NUSA TENGGARA (NTT)' it is necessary to find a more appropriate solution to fight backwardness which hit most of the people of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), especially those living in rural and remote areas. Hopefully a solution will be offered the author on this occasion, could help them, because the abundance of funds by the blessing of God, who wants to share love with others in need, prioritizing the true beneficiaries, to whom really need and the means of supporting development.

Based on personal experience of the author during the tour to a number of areas in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) and had lived with the people in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) where full of limitations such as shortage of power supply, health facilities (such as drugs, medical personnel, etc ), water resources, etc., read many books, became honorary teacher of Information and Communications Technology in Borong, East Manggarai district of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), listen to suggestions and complaints, the educational background of the author with a degree in Electrical Engineering (Power Systems Engineering) and others.

In this occasion, the author discusses only a little solution against the lack of a cheap source of electricity as a small part of little solution against the most backwardness people of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), especially those who are not served by PLN (Electrical Company of Nation) with variety of reasons but living at or near the area has potential for electricity generation using renewable energy technologies. For example, human settlements are located near rivers, beaches, much of livestock (cattle, buffalo, etc), or who have a strong wind (not a tornado or waterspout).

More about the importance of procurement power source? We are all creatures that are still in healthy mind knows the benefits of electricity for human life. In the presence of electric energy, we can operate the equipment - electronic equipment / power as a means of exchanging information (whether for good or bad educate), entertainment, medicine, cooking, washing clothes, ironing, lighting up for both small scale industries, medium to big.

As a priority for rural or remote communities are so poor anymore, let the construction of a power source intended for lighting as the primary, so that they can work better at night which includes learning. It is understood by the author when the author was there.

Education is the main weapon against backwardness. This opinion, the author has from people who live first than the author and the author agrees. To get ahead in education, everyone should learn. In the author's observation while living in an area full of limitations, the author’s students before, usually give priority to help parents who are generally farmers or fishermen such as carrying firewood, washing clothes in rivers and so forth, when it was still light. At night, then used for the study. For those whose do not have electricity, usually using a oil lamp.

Whether you are now studying the minimal 11-watt lamps, had studied accompanied by oil lamp or equivalent 5 watt or less light ? If the answer is yes, whether you felt happy ? Or to be comfortable ?  Or to be excited ? Or felt this is the most ideal learning situation and felt to suggest to others to do the same thing ? If your answer is yes, I dare say that you've lost your healthy mind and deserves the title 'Father of Lies' .......!!!

For those who still have healthy mind and an abundance of funds and wanted to share the love, use your funds, to build for them at remote areas, power generation with renewable energy technologies in accordance with the existing potential of the area around them even if the power plants can only turn on the lights 14 watts per family.
For example, for human settlements near the river, built hydroelectric power. In areas near the coast of the wind strong, built power plants with windmills that can be spun. In areas where a lot of manure, constructed by the method of biogas power plant, in hot areas where a lot of solar, built power plants using solar cells.

As input for their abundant funds and wanted to share the love, the authors make an estimate as I know from the testimony of many people including those already received a large scholarship about scholarship funds. Until 2012, the amount of scholarship funding from foreign governments to send one of the province of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) in foreign countries, when totaled up to graduate school and convert into rupiah, approximately Rp. 200 million, which if completed, this person will not sure necessarily to make a real contribution to communities in remote areas. With the same amount of funds, can be built a power plant with renewable energy technologies for communities in remote areas, which really need help and like the 'forgotten' even by the government of Republic of Indonesia itself, even if only to light a 14 watt per head of the family as much as 10 heads of households.

In this case, the author does not say that the granting of scholarships is wrong. Scholarships are also solutions against backwardness. But, given the general scholarship is for those who have completed an undergraduate education and have the TOEFL / IELTS> 450, meaning that the provision of scholarships from foreign governments is for the people of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) has advanced and want more in the field study. Which, the scholarship has been going on for decades even with the same goal every year until 2012 and who knows how long again, the 'building of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT)'. This means that the scholarship does not make significant changes for the majority of the people of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) is isolated and left behind. And given the general purpose of the scholarship is to 'build the East Nusa Tenggara (NTT)' then indirectly legitimize the East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) as persons with the predicate 'Nusa Tetap Tiarap (Stay Down Nusa)' or ' Nusa Terus Tidur (Keep Sleeping Nusa)'.

As for the people of remote areas of poverty and backwardness 'sold' as an excuse to get a scholarship, let alone complete the educational strata 1, even to complete primary school education was not necessarily able to, get a scholarship abroad to fight backwardness ancestral area is so heavy even lead to the fairy tale.

Regardless, it is a wonderful gift/ Amazing Graces, for those who get scholarships abroad or help build a power plant. Is good, if it can run both (the scholarships and the construction of power plants for communities in remote areas), but if it should be a priority, then it is returned to the owner to whom the funds will be provided.

For their abundance of funds and wanted to share the love, you know they are isolated and as 'forgotten' was there and so are they. But with not exactly the relief that comes from your funds, many who know the 'truth' that you care with them in remote areas and as 'forgotten' but whether they are isolated and as 'forgotten' know the 'truth' is?

Hopefully a little input from this writer, can be read by those with an abundance of funds and wanted to share love, to be more precise in delivering assistance and it is most needed for those who are poor, remote and backwardness in the province of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).

In conclusion, for most of the people against the backwardness of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), especially those located in rural or remote areas, can be started by building power plants with renewable energy technologies in accordance with the natural potential of the area, although the electrical energy produced is just enough to lighting. So that they can move better in the evening. So for those who are isolated, that so long as NTT mean 'Nasib Tidak Tentu (Fate Not Sure)' or the 'Nasib Terus Terlupakan (Forgotten Keep Fate)' or 'Nusa tanpa Terang (Nusa Without the Light)', in the presence of electricity, could say, 'Sumber Listrik su dekat ...  (Power Sources are now close)' and slowly could mean NTT as ' Nusa Telah Terang (Nusa Has Light)'. ^_^

BEASISWA DAN DONGENG KEMAJUAN MASYARAKAT NUSA TENGGARA TIMUR (NTT)

Oleh Gregorius Mosed Karhindra, ST

Sebagian besar masyarakat Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) sampai tahun 2012 dan entah sampai kapan, terlebih yang berada di pedesaan atau daerah terpencil hidup tanpa sarana dan prasarana yang mendukung bagi kemajuan dalam bidang pendidikan, kesehatan, transportasi dan lain sebagainya.

Beasiswa ke luar negeri bagi putra / putri Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) dari pemerintah luar negeri seperti Australia, Selandia Baru, Amerika Serikat dan lain sebagainya adalah angin segar dan kesempatan untuk maju dalam bidang pendidikan yang tidak boleh disia-siakan.

Melalui beasiswa, diharapkan masyarakat Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) bisa mengalami kemajuan  dimulai dari bidang pendidikan kemudian merambah ke bidang lainnya. Dalam artian putra / putri Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) yang telah menyelesaikan studi master (S2) di luar negeri, pulang kembali ke daerah Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) dan membangun masyarakat Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) secara keseluruhan berdasarkan pengetahuan dan pengalamannya.

Pemberian beasiswa sudah berlangsung lama bahkan sudah ada yang berlangsung puluhan tahun dimana seharusnya masyarakat Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) bisa dikategorikan maju. Tetapi pada kenyataannya, Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) tetap menyandang predikat ‘Nusa Terus Tertinggal’ dibuktikan dalam banyak hal. Misalnya nilai UN SD, SMP dan SMA yang menempati peringkat terbawah secara rata-rata keseluruhan se Republik Indonesia, jumlah keluarga miskin, dan lain sebagainya.

Pertanyaan yang bisa dikemukakan adalah mengapa tidak terjadi keharmonisan antara tujuan pemberian beasiswa dan kemajuan masyarakat Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) secara umum atau pemberian beasiswa tidak membuat kemajuan signifikan bagi mayoritas masyarakat Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT).

Berikut adalah beberapa pendapat yang bisa dijadikan alasan :

1. Alumni beasiswa tidak menerapkan ilmu yang didapat di luar negeri kepada masyarakat secara langsung dalam bentuk pelatihan yang berkelanjutan. 
2. Kalaupun ada yang menerapkan ilmu yang didapat di luar negeri tapi tidak menjadi kebutuhan masyarakat. Contohnya, lulusan sarjana hukum menceramahi masyarakat pentingnya memahami hukum. Sedangkan yang masyarakat butuhkan sebagai kebutuhan mendesak adalah cara beternak atau bertani yang baik atau cara memanfaatkan sungai, angin, kotoran ternak dan panas matahari untuk membangkitkan tenaga listrik, dan lain sebagainya. 
3. Alumni beasiswa lebih banyak bercerita pengalaman sebelum mendapat beasiswa bukan aksi setelah mendapat beasiswa untuk kepentingan masyarakat Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT). Seolah-olah mendapatkan beasiswa ke luar negeri adalah bukti kesuksesan dan tujuan perjuangan. 
4. Rendahnya kesungguhan alumni beasiswa untuk melakukan aksi menolong yang nyata karena memikirkan diri sendiri. Bahkan ada yang setelah lulus  dari studi master (S2) di luar negeri, kembali ke wilayah Indonesia tapi bekerja di luar wilayah provinsi Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT). 
5. Tidak terakomodirnya putra / putri Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) yang siap dan sudah buktikan berani terjun ke dalam kehidupan masyarakat terpencil di wilayah Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) sebagai penerima beasiswa karena memiliki kemampuan berbahasa inggris yang rendah atau belum mencapai syarat minimum nilai toefl.

dan lain sebagainya.

     Dengan demikian, cocoklah hubungan antara gagalnya tujuan pemberian beasiswa dengan ketertinggalan mayoritas masyarakat Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) terlebih yang tinggal di pedesaan atau daerah terpencil. Atau dengan kata lain bagi masyarakat Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) terlebih yang hidup di daerah terpencil, kemajuan oleh sebab pemberian beasiswa kepada putra / putri Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) yang tidak pernah bahkan tidak mau hidup atau merasakan hidup di daerah pedesaan atau terpencil dalam kurun waktu lama (> 6 bulan) atau bidang peminatan pendidikan tidak sesuai kebutuhan masyarakat di daerah pedesaan atau terpencil, sungguh hanyalah sebuah cerita dongeng.

    Sebagai kesimpulan, sungguh ironi dan memilukan hati, pemberian beasiswa sebagai sarana bagi kemajuan masyarakat Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) secara keseluruhan dalam mengoptimalkan sumber daya alam dan manusia yang tersedia di provinsi Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) malah menjadi seperti tujuan paling penting sebagai bukti kemajuan. Dengan demikian kemajuan masyarakat Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) secara keseluruhan apalagi yang hidup di pedesaan atau daerah terpencil sebagai akibat dari pemberian beasiswa ke luar negeri, adalah sungguh sebuah dongeng. Bahkan dengan melihat sebagian perilaku alumni beasiswa yang mementingkan kemajuan diri sendiri dan hanya  bisa menceritakan kemajuan yang didapat oleh sebab lulusan dari luar negeri ke orang lain, bisa menjadi dongeng yang indah bagi sebagian orang yang berambisi mencapai posisi yang sama, sedangkan bagi sebagian besar yang lain yang hidup di pedesaan atau daerah terpencil yang kemiskinan dan ketertinggalannya ‘dijual’ sebagai alasan untuk mendapatkan beasiswa dan kemudian yang didapat adalah cerita pengalaman hidup dan tentang keadaan di luar negeri adalah sungguh dongeng paling menjijikan.

SCHOLARSHIP AND THE FAIRY TALE of ADVANCEMENT of PEOPLE of EAST NUSA TENGGARA (NTT)

By Gregorius Mosed Karhindra, ST

      Most of the people of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) until 2012 and don’t know till when, especially those located in rural or remote areas without infrastructure support for advancements in education, health, transportation and so forth. 

      Overseas scholarships for men / women of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) of foreign governments such as Australia, New Zealand, United States and so forth is ‘the fresh air’ and a chance to advance in the field of education that should not be squandered.

Through the scholarship, it is expected the East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) people could have started the progress of education and then expanded into other fields. In terms of men / women of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) who have completed master studies (S2) in foreign countries, go back to the area of ​​East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) and build communities of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) as a whole based on the knowledge and experience.

      Scholarships have been there long lasting even decades in which the public should Nusa Tenggara (NTT) can be considered advanced. But in fact, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) still bearing the title 'Nusa Terus Tertinggal (Keep Left Nusa)' is evidenced in many ways. For example, the value of Ujian Nasional (UN) of primary, junior high and high school ranks in the lowest overall average of a Republic Indonesia, the number of poor families, and others.

    The question can be raised is why is not there harmony between the goals of scholarship and the advancement of the community of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) in general or the scholarship does not make significant progress for the majority of the people of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT)?

      Here are some opinions that can be used as a reason:

1. Alumni scholarships do not apply the knowledge acquired abroad to the public directly in the form of ongoing training.
2.  Even if there are to apply knowledge acquired abroad but not to the needs of the community. For example, law graduates to lecture the importance of understanding the law. While the public need for the urgent need is to either livestock or farming or how to harness the river, wind, manure and the sun's heat to generate power, and so forth.
3. Alumni scholarship more likely to say the experience before getting a scholarship is not the action after receiving a scholarship for the benefit of the community of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). As if to get a scholarship abroad is evidence of success and goals of their struggle.
4. Low seriousness Alumni scholarship to help in the real action cause the thought of himself/herself. There's even after graduating from the master study (S2) abroad, returned to Indonesia but working outside the province of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT).
5. Not followed men / women of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) were ready and had proved bold foray into the lives of remote communities in the region of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) as the recipient of a scholarship because they have low English language skills or have not reached the minimum requirement value toefl.  

 And so forth.

    Thus, it is suitable relationship between the failure of the purpose of the scholarship with the backwardness of the majority of the people of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), especially those living in rural or remote areas. Or in other words, for the people of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) especially who live in remote areas, the progress by granting scholarships for the men / women of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) who never even did not want to live or feel living in rural or remote areas in long period (> 6 months) or areas of specialization in education does not suit the needs of communities in rural or remote areas, it is just a fairy tale.

    In conclusion, how ironic and heartbreaking, the scholarships as a means for the advancement of the people of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) in optimizing the overall natural and human resources available in the province of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) had be like the most important goals as evidence of progress . Thus the progress of East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) as a whole let alone living in rural or remote areas as a result of granting scholarships to foreign countries, is really a fairy tale. Even with the alumni scholarship look at some of the behavior of the importance of self-advancement and progress can only tell because acquired by graduates from abroad to others, it could be a beautiful fairy tale for some people with ambitions to achieve the same position, whereas for most other especially who live in rural or remote areas which their poverty and backwardness, catch up 'for sale' as a reason to get a scholarship and later earned are stories of life experiences and about the situations overseas is truly the most disgusting fairy tale.